Modern-day treasure hunting

May 24, 2012

Portable GPS devices help hobbyists score geocache. / GANNETT

Written by

Stephen Bove

@SteveBove

You may never find fortune and fame trailing some scrawled and faded “x” on a map, but thanks to modern technology, you can scout bold new passages, mark your territory and even accrue a little swag along the way.

All you need is a GPS and an adventurous edge, and you’re ready for the world of geocaching, a modern-day treasure hunt and worldwide phenomenon that’s forged a new era of exploration for would-be conquistadors of all ages.

Think of it as a cross-continental Easter egg hunt — without cheap plastic eggs or bunny suits.

Participants use smartphones or portable GPS devices to navigate to a specific set of coordinates in hopes of finding “caches” — small, weather-proof containers containing a logbook and, often, toys or inexpensive trinkets. If successful in their hunt, geocachers have the opportunity to trade knickknacks and log their visit.

Clues and coordinates for would-be finders are posted on geocaching Web portals such as Geocaching.com and Terra

caching.com. These sites serve as hubs for finding or listing cache locations, as well as for sharing geocaching stories of both success or failure and posting photos.

A recent search of Geocaching.com revealed more than 11,000 live caches in New Jersey alone.

Manasquan Reservoir in Howell, Shark River Park in Neptune and the many trails and pits of Allaire State Park in Wall seem to be particularly popular local spots.

In addition to its coordinates and often cryptic clues, the cache’s online component contains a difficulty rating. At its most advanced, caching can require everything from rock climbing to swimming to navigating abandoned buildings and structures.

And those coordinates will only get you so close. Caches are usually well hidden, both to boost the challenge and to conceal it from any casual interlopers who happen to stumble upon the location. Your GPS will lead you to the spot, but it takes well-tuned senses to complete the task.

There are only a few rules. Private property is off limits. If you opt to take the trinket from the geocache, be sure to leave something of equal or greater value in return. And always return the geocache container to its original location.

Geocaching’s rise in popularity has little to do with accruing useless knickknacks or even finding some sought-after cache. More than anything, it’s about the primal rush of outdoor exploration.

And no time and place is more conducive to that than summer in the Garden State.